Published
Thu, Oct 21, 2021, 17:55
- Midnight Frontier showcases techno club Bassiani and local LGBTQI+ activists.
Midnight Frontier, a 2019 documentary about the role of nightlife in the fight for LGBTQI+ rights in Tbilisi, is now available on YouTube.
The 19-minute film, produced and directed by Peter van Langen, shines a light on how local party Horoom and Bassiani, a seven year-old techno venue, provide sanctuary for the queer community amid rampant homophobia in the eastern European city.
Homophobic violence in Tbilsi is a major obstacle for the city's dance music scene. In 2013, LGBTQI+ activists were assaulted by thousands of anti-gay protestors, including Orthodox priests. In 2018, Bassiani and Café Gallery, another Tbilisi venue, were raided in what the venues called a smear campaign by right-wing forces. This year, conservatives also attacked the office of Tbilisi Pride, organisers of gay rights events.
To learn more about Georgia's LGBTQI+ community in club culture, read our feature from July and revisit RA's Reflections on Tbilisi film.
Watch Midnight Frontier.
Photo credit: Hitori Ni